The Pantheon reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Pantheon

Pantheon, in one sense, is a name for a temple or sacred building dedicated to all the gods of a particular religion. The word derives from the Greek words παν (pan, all) and θεος (theos, god). In another sense, it refers to all the gods of a particular religion or mythology, such as the gods of Hinduism, Greek mythology, Norse mythology. Since the 16th century the word has also been used in a secular sense, meaning a set of exalted people.

The word is today used mainly to describe three buildings:

• The Pantheon in Rome, originally built in the 2nd century as a temple to all the Roman gods, has been used as a Christian church since the 7th century. Its front with columns and its large cupola served as the model for the other Pantheons built beginning with the Renaissance.
• The Panthéon in Paris, an 18th century building today used as a burial place for famous French people.
• The Pantheon in London, an 18th century building now used as a theatre.

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